Areas of Practice

Addiction Medicine & Behavioral Health

Dr. James Besante is a board-certified addiction medicine physician specializing in the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring behavioral health conditions. He integrates medical management, evidence-based therapy, and system design to deliver coordinated, whole-person care.

As Chief Medical Officer of one of the largest addiction treatment providers in the Southwest, Dr. Besante has led initiatives that expand access, improve outcomes, and align behavioral health with medical services. His work focuses on building effective, sustainable systems that treat both the physical and psychological dimensions of addiction.

Internal Medicine

As a board-certified internist, Dr. James Besante brings deep expertise in managing complex chronic diseases across hospital and outpatient settings. His clinical background includes leading inpatient addiction consult services for acutely hospitalized individuals, ensuring safe, evidence-based care for patients experiencing medical and behavioral health crises simultaneously.

Dr. Besante’s unique integration of internal medicine and addiction medicine allows him to design and oversee systems that care for individuals with serious medical needs in detoxification and residential treatment environments. By embedding medical excellence within behavioral health settings, he ensures that patients receive comprehensive, coordinated care that addresses both the physical and psychological dimensions of recovery.

Clinical Innovation

Recognized for advancing new service lines and clinical innovations, Dr. Besante has built and launched programs that bridge technology and treatment delivery. His initiatives include hospital-based addiction consult services, telehealth-enabled recovery platforms, and remote patient engagement models. As a medical advisor to early-stage companies such as Sonara Health and Monument, he has helped pioneer digital solutions that expand methadone and alcohol treatment access nationwide.

Education & Workforce Development

A passionate educator, Dr. Besante has trained hundreds of clinicians to deliver high-quality, evidence-based addiction care. As Fellowship Director at Carle Health, he led the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Fellowship ECHO® Program, training over 160 rural healthcare providers across Illinois. He also taught multisystem coursework at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the nation’s first engineering-based medical school. His leadership in education continues to shape the future of the addiction medicine workforce.

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